SYNTHETIC HYBRIDS OF NEW WORLD AND OLD WORLD AGROPYRONS. IV. TETRAPLOID AGROPYRON SPICATUM F. INERME X TETRAPLOID AGROPYRON DESERTORUM

Emasculated and unemasculated crosses of tetraploid A. spicatum f. inerme X A. desertorum yielded four hybrids. The hybrids were morphologically intermediate between the parent species but resembled A. desertorum more closely than A. spicatum. Both parents behaved cytologically as autoploids. Mean chromosome associations of 0.04 I, 8.60 II, 0.01 III, and 2.67 IV were observed at diakinesis in the 28-chromosome A. spicatum. The A. desertorum parent contained 30 chromosomes, 2 of which were likely supernumeraries, and averaged 0.03 I, 9.85 II, and 2.57 IV at diakinesis. Three hybrids contained 30 chromosomes, and one had 29. The most common chromosome association in the 30-chromosome hybrids was 2 I and 14 II; and the average was 3.00 I, 13.40 II, 0.06 III, and 0.01 IV. A. spicatum and A. desertorum chromosomes were usually distinguishable from each other in the hybrid cell on the basis of size. All pairing in the hybrids was attributed to autosyndesis within parental genomes. A. spicatum, A. desertorum, and their hybrids were represented by genome formulas of SSSS, CCCC, and SSCC, respectively. The hybrids produced 5 to 439 seeds under open pollination. Three controlled crosses between the hybrids yielded 2, 5, and 23 seeds, respectively, on 10 maternal spikes in each cross. The prospects of developing a fertile, cytologically stable allotetraploid species from the hybrids appear favorable.